THE HOLIDAY SEASON: GET STARTED ON YOUR CLIENT LIST NOW

For most of us, the idea of Christmas shopping in the middle of July seems downright absurd; however, when it comes to companies who have large client lists, the process of saying “thank you” during the holiday season often begins towards the end of summer.

In short, as corporations head into the last two quarters of the year, August represents a great time to begin thinking about the best way to say “thank you” to all of the people and businesses who regularly support their endeavors. For smaller companies, this may not seem like it’s something that requires a lot of forethought, but since larger corporations tend to have extensive client lists, making things easier requires a few helpful hints.

1.) MAKE A PLAN: When it comes to gathering the names of everyone who has supported you during the last year, it’s always a wise idea to get your staff’s opinion. They might be aware of clients who deserve your gratitude and in general, they can help you formulate a plan for the most effective “thank you” strategy; however, when it comes to actually recognizing your employees for their work, decide whether you’re going to give a gift that targets the entire office or whether you’ll focus on each person individually.

2.) PICK A HOLIDAY: While many companies opt to give Christmas gifts and bonuses, the holiday season obviously includes Thanksgiving and New Years, which represent additional opportunities to give thanks. Therefore, if you’re in the process of planning your gift-giving strategy, consider which holiday you’d like to focus on (or whether you would like to acknowledge all three of them).

3.) DON’T FORGET TO BUDGET: When it comes to funding your gift giving, smart companies understand that it’s important to set aside money for the holiday season. Clearly, saying thank you simply because you are truly grateful is important; however, gift giving during the holidays is part of a great marketing strategy that helps protect your business contacts and maintain elevated levels of morale.

If the process seems somewhat overwhelming, print your list of clients and separate them into A, B, & C groups, and set budget limits for each level.

4.) ASK FOR HELP: If your client list is extensive, asking for help can be extremely important. Instead of adding more stress to your workload, let us assist you with the selection process. We’ve already begun taking orders for the holiday season, so if you’re looking to be proactive, we’d love to help make the process as smooth as possible.

For holiday giving, it helps to finalize your client list by October, so give us a call!

Diane Campbell | Gratitude Goodies | www.gratitudegoodies.com | 770-886-9598